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U.S. public transit ridership is highest in decades

In 2013, 10.7 billion trips were taken on public transportation, which is the highest annual public transit ridership number in 57 years, according to a report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Overall, while vehicle miles traveled on roads (VMT) went up 0.3%, public transportation use in 2013 increased by 1.1%. It was the eighth year in a row that more than 10 billion trips were taken on public transportation systems nationwide.

Several public transit agencies reported record ridership systemwide or on specific lines in cities including Ann Arbor, Mich.; Flagstaff, Ariz.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; New York City and New Orleans.

Since 1995, public transit ridership is up 37.2%, outpacing population growth, which is up 20.3%, and VMT — up 22.7 percent.

“There is a fundamental shift going on in the way we move about our communities. People in record numbers are demanding more public transit services and communities are benefiting with strong economic growth,” said APTA President/CEO Michael Melaniphy. “Access to public transportation matters. Community leaders know that public transportation investment drives community growth and economic revitalization.”

Ridership breakdown by mode:

Heavy rail (subways and elevated trains) ridership increased by 2.8% across the country as eight out of 15 transit systems reported increases.

he e-hail app pilot, which launches this month, will allow paratransit customers to electronically hail yellow or green taxicabs on demand, similar to popular on-demand ride services such as Uber, Lyft, and others.

Officials at Trapeze said that giving transit agencies that use Trapeze software the ability to schedule rides through Lyft’s ride-sharing platform will help lower operational costs while increasing ride availability.